On World Sexual Health Day celebrated across the world on 4th September 2024, PILS held its Open Day at its “centre Communautaire Nou Vi La/Centre Banian” in Port Louis. An opportunity to showcase the services the organisation offers there and to celebrate the journey of PILS since 1996 through an exhibition of tshirts collected by Nicolas Ritter over the years illustrating the history and commitment of the organisation at local, regional and international level.
Through its 28-year long existence, PILS has dynamically adapted its services and approach to the context of the moment and has developed a strategic partnership (governmental institutions, private sector and non-state actors) to provide the most appropriate response to its beneficiaries. The actual centre “Nou Vi La/Centre Banian” for instance is a collaboration between the Ministry of Health and Wellness and PILS. Nou Vi La which initially served as a community centre and the Centre Banian, the first sexual health facility in Mauritius set up with the collaboration of the MoH, act as a “one-stop shop” for both beneficiaries and the public at large since 1st December 2022. The services offered range from medical tests for sexually transmitted infections, HIV, hepatitis C, medical follow ups and treatment to social and psychological support.
In addition to that, PILS extends its services to detainees through the “La Santé Dabor” and TAPAJ projects. La Santé Dabor aims at encouraging detainees to get back to care while TAPAJ aims at the professional re-integration of ex-prisoners.
Launching of a Sexual health campaign
Observations and research on the field are showing an increase in new infections year after year. Annette Ebsen Treebhoobun, Executive Director of PILS, attributes that alarming situation to prevailing political and cultural barriers and the fact that prevention campaigns cannot be done at schools. Sexual health in 2024 remains taboo and hinders prevention and access to information about HIV/AIDS, ISTs and MSTs which are sine qua non to fight HIV/AIDS.
This year PILS is launching a communication campaign on sexual health on billboards across the island with the slogan: Santé, Plaisir, Liberté. That campaign seeks to tackle the topic to allow people to make informed decisions and uphold their wellbeing.
Fundraising Campaign
With the phasing out of Global Fund in Mauritius by end of 2026, PILS must find ways to keep on providing its services. As such, on 12th September 2024, PILS launched its second Street Marketing campaign which aims at encouraging the members of the public to become regular donors of PILS. After having been trained by 2 trainers from Coalition Plus, Street Marketing Ambassadors will be present at shopping malls across the island for 2 months to explain their initiative and to facilitate the registration process for potential donors.
If you find them while you are at the malls, do not hesitate to have a chat and support PILS.
For further details on PILS, its services and how you can support, they are reachable on 212 48 41 or 212 86 74, on their website https://pils.mu/.
« Retour à la page Actus
